Like Mike! LeBron James says he wants to buy his own NBA franchise after he retires just like Hornets owner Michael Jordan, adding there 'ain't no "maybe" about it, I'm going to do that s***' LeBron James told The Athletic that he hopes to become an NBA owner after he retires, just as Hall of Famer Michael Jordan did with the Charlotte Hornets Jordan, 55, is the only player to ever become the principal owner of an NBA team The 34-year-old James currently has a 2 percent stake in Liverpool FC James has earned nearly $270 million in salary over his 16-year NBA career He currently has a 2 percent stake in Liverpool FC, and has the endorsement of Lakers president and Los Angeles Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson By Alex Raskin Sports News Editor For Dailymail.com Published: 21:24 GMT, 14 February 2019 | Updated: 21:27 GMT, 14 February 2019 Viewcomments LeBron James is prepared to follow NBA legend Michael Jordan once again – this time by becoming an owner of one of the league's 30 franchises. In speaking with The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers star said he hopes to become an NBA owner just as Jordan did with the Charlotte Hornets: 'Ain't no maybe about it, I'm going to do that s***.' Jordan, 55, is the only player to ever become the principal owner of an NBA team. In 2010, the native North Carolinian purchased the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) for $275 million, and has since increased his stake to a reported 90 percent. According to Forbes, the Hornets are now worth $1.25 billion, which is a 19 percent increase from a season ago. Like Jordan, the 34-year-old James wears the number '23' and has endorsed Nike throughout his professional basketball career. James has earned nearly $270 million over his 16-year NBA career, not including any of his lucrative endorsement deals. He currently has a 2 percent stake in Liverpool FC, and has the endorsement of Lakers president and Los Angeles Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson, who believes the NBA needs more minority owners. 'Having Michael in Charlotte is great and it's special, but we need more,' Johnson told The Athletic. 'LeBron would be outstanding as the second player to be an owner in our league. We need more African-Americans, for sure, and LeBron would just be fantastic to become the next owner — after he leads the Lakers to an NBA championship, of course. 'That's the way he should feel, and I wouldn't expect anything less,' Johnson continued, speaking of James's desire to be his own boss. 'I always wanted to be my own boss, too, and knock on wood and with God's blessings, I've been able to do that. He should want to continue to do it, too.' That might be a tall order as James and the Lakers are entering the All-Star break at 28-29, marking just the second time in his illustrious career that the four-time MVP has been on a losing team this late in the season. Jordan, who bought the team from BET founder Robert Johnson, is not the only former player to own a major American sports franchise. Pittsburgh Penguins legend Mario Lemieux has been the franchise's owner since 1999, when he bought the bankrupt team. Since then, the Penguins have won three Stanley Cups to go with the two the Penguins won when Lemieux played. Former Baltimore Colts receiver Jerry Richardson was the founding owner of the Carolina Panthers and kept the team until 2017, when he sold the franchise after being accused of sexual harassment. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility